What's Happening

Immigration

LA Protests Escalate After Trump Deploys National Guard

What's going on: Law enforcement officials clashed with hundreds of protesters in Los Angeles yesterday, firing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. At one point, demonstrators — waving both American and Mexican flags — blocked the 101 Freeway, forcing officials to shut it down in both directions. Since Friday, protesters have taken to the streets in response to new workplace immigration raids in the city, clashing with local authorities. Local officials said at least 17 protesters were arrested yesterday. Tensions escalated after President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard members in LA — a rare move that typically requires state approval. At least 300 National Guardsmen have arrived in the city so far, stationed at federal buildings and at least one detention center. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) called the deployment “purposefully inflammatory,” and LA Mayor Karen Bass called it a “chaotic escalation.” Trump defended his actions, saying “violent, insurrectionist mobs” were attacking federal agents to try and stop deportation operations.

What it means: These raids mark a new chapter in Trump’s immigration policy. After pressuring ICE to ramp up deportations, the administration now appears to be targeting undocumented immigrants on the job. While some legal experts expect challenges to the statute Trump invoked to deploy the National Guard, others fear the administration is normalizing the use of military force in response to civilian protests. Over the weekend, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that hundreds of Marines could also deploy to LA if the violence didn’t stop. In the meantime, Bass has encouraged residents to peacefully protest and not “play into the administration’s hands.” Newsom officially requested that the Trump administration rescind the Guard’s deployment, calling it “a serious breach of state sovereignty.” He also plans to sue the administration.

Related: A Small, Republican Town Softens on Immigration After One of Their Own Was Detained (NYT Gift Link)

Politics

So, What Do Men Want? Democrats Are Looking Into It

What's going on: After what some called the “gender election,” Democrats want to crack the code on a group they failed to win in 2024: young men. And yes, they're willing to get roasted for trying. The party is spending $20 million on a two-year project called “Speaking with American Men” (SAM, for short). So far, they've run a national survey and held 30 focus groups. The findings? A lot of men feel like “neither party” is in their corner, Politico reports. Many see Democrats as too cautious, weak, and uninterested in them. Meanwhile, they see the GOP as more confident, strong, and willing to offend. This tracks. A new Catalist report reviewing the 2024 results confirmed a growing gender divide, especially among young, Latino, and Black men. It also revealed that most of Kamala Harris’s drop-off from Biden’s 2020 numbers came from men who bailed.

What it means: This is a fairly new problem for Democrats — Obama won young men in 2008 and 2012, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) lit a fire under them in 2016. But now, the party's playing catch-up to reengage a group that isn’t just politically disengaged, but deeply demoralized. The SAM memo says men feel stuck in a “no-win situation around the meaning of ‘a man.’” Many are stressed and ashamed about their finances, as well as unsettled by modern expectations of masculinity. The project is still figuring out how to reach them — it’s considering podcasts, memes, comedians, or even courting them at the gym. Critics say some of SAM’s attempts to decode the “manosphere” feel cringey. But organizers argue it’s better than doing nothing — which, ironically, is what young men get accused of all the time.

Related: The “Manosphere” Is Sad Trump and Elon Are Fighting (NYT Gift Link)

Sports

College Sports Just Turned Into Big Business

What's going on: College athletes won’t just play for the love of the game anymore. A judge has approved a $2.8 billion settlement that ends the NCAA’s longtime ban on direct payments to players — a seismic shift for a system built on unpaid talent. The deal stems from a lawsuit led by swimmer Grant House, who argued that athletes deserve a share of the billions their sports generate. Powerhouse schools can now directly pay players across all sports up to $20.5 million per year to start, with that cap expected to grow. That’s on top of scholarships and outside “name, image, and likeness” (NIL) deals. A new enforcement body, run by the major conferences, will monitor booster payments. Athletes who competed from 2016 onward are eligible to get billions in back pay.

What it means: College sports are now effectively professionalized — and the shakeup is just beginning. “It's going to change millions of lives for the better,” one college basketball star told ESPN. Top football and basketball players will likely see the biggest checks, while Olympic and lower-profile sports could face budget cuts as schools reshuffle their priorities. That’s raised alarms about the future of the US Olympic talent pipeline. Fans and students may feel the pinch too, with some schools raising prices to fund this new pay-to-play world. And the legal drama isn’t over — next up: whether athletes should be considered employees with the right to unionize.

Related: French Open Finalist Walks Back Controversial Comments About Coco Gauff’s Victory (Sports Illustrated)